The Authorization for the Establishment of a School of Optometry in the State of Alabama

This article explains events leading to the decision to attempt to pass legislation establishing a school of optometry in the state of Alabama. It was the vision of Dr. Donald Springer that prompted the idea that such an accomplishment was possible but the political expertise of Sen. Alton Turner that made the school a reality. There were many members of the Alabama Optometric Association, legislators, education administrators, public officials, and others who played significant roles that contributed to the success of this effort. The establishment of the University of Alabama in Birmingham School of Optometry (UABSO), from its inception, as an integral part of an academic medical center was an educational model that had not been utilized by the profession of optometry before. The school, which began Sept. 1, 1969, has contributed significantly to the advancement of the profession of optometry and vision science.